Ventilating-cowl.



T. B. LEWIS.

VENTILATING UOWL.

APPLICATION TILED SEPT. 10, 1908.

Patented Dec. 8, 1908 gwuc'wtoz TEL 6 W15 UNITED STATE% PATENT GFFICE.

THOMAS E. LEWIS, OF SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

VENTILA'IING-COWL.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS E. LEWIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Scranton, in the county of Lackawanna and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Impr vements in Ventilating- Cowls; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the inven tion, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

. This invention relates to improvements in Ventilating cowls.

The object of the invention is to provide a device of this character having an automatic ally-operated fan, whereby a forced draft is created.

A further object is to provide an improved anti-frictional connection between the hood and the stack whereby the former will readily turn in the direction of the wind or air currents so that the full force of the latter is applied to operate the exhaust fan of the cowl.

1n the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of a chimney cowl constructed in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is a front view partly in section on the line 22 of Fig. 1 Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view; Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 14t of Fig. 1; and, Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view through the air-conducting funnel on the line 66 of Fig. 1. I

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 denotes the cowl, which consists of a stack, 2, adapted to be attached at its lower end to a chimney or building in any desired manner. Revolubly mounted on the upper end of thestack is a hood, 3, in the form of a right-angular elbow. The hood, 3, is preferably provided with an anti-frictional connection with the upper end of the stack, said connection comprising a series of rollers, 4, preferably four in number and arranged at diametrically opposite points on the outer side of the stack adjacent to its upper end, as shown. The rollers, 1, are mounted in hearing brackets, 5, or riveted or otherwise secured to the stack. On the inner side of the hood adjacent to its lower end is an annular bearing flange, 6, preferably formed of angleiron and riveted or otherwise secured to the hood. The flange, 6, forms a track which, when the hood is engaged with the stack, is adapted to rest and travel on the rollers, 1. Arranged on the stack below the rollers, 1, is

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 10, 1908.

Patented Dec. 8, 1908.

Serial No. 452,486.

a right-angularly formed stop collar, 7, the u per end of which, when thcparts are assemb ed for use, is riveted or otherwise secured to the outer side of the lower end of the hood. In the collar, 7, and secured to the lower horizontal portion thereof, in any suitable manner, is a ball race, 8, said race being provided with upwardly-projec'ting side flanges,

which are disposed 011 each side of the rollers,

1. In the ball race, 8, is arranged an annular series of bearing balls, 9, over which and resting thereon, is an annular bearing plate or ring, it), which engages the underside of the rollers. The collar, 7, when arranged in operative position, holds the hood in place on the upper end of the stack, while the bearing balls, 9, provide an anti-frictional engagement between said collar, which permits the hood to freely revolve and prevents any hinding of the parts should the hood at any time have an upward thrust. The engagement of the flange, 6, with the bearing rollers supports the weight and downward pressure of the hood on the upper end of the stack, and permits the hood to freely revolve thereon, as hereinbefore described.

in the upper side of the hood adjacent to its outer end is formed an opening, 12, over which is arranged a fan casing, 13, said fan casing extending rcarwardly over the curved portion of the hood and forming a crescentshaped passage, 14, open at its rear end, as shown. In the passage, 14, is arranged a curved deflecting plate, 15, which extends into the casing to near the opening, 12, in the hood, and forms a contracted discharge passage, 16, adjacent to said opening, 12. The partition, 15, forms a funnel in the rear portion of the casing, 1 1, whereby a current of air is directed through the casing and is discharged through the contracted opening, 16.

Revolubly mounted in the open end of the casing, 13, is a fan, 17, the ends of the shafts of which project through openings formed in the side of the casing and engage ball bearings, 18, arranged on the outer side of the casing, as shown. The ball bearings, 18, preferably comprise caps, 19, which are suitably secured to the sides of the casing in any suitable manner and have arranged therein an annular series of balls, in which the ends of the fan shaft revolve. The contracted discharge opening, 16, at the inner end of the funnel is adapted to discharge a current of air from the funnel against the blades of the fan, thereby revolving the latter. The rotary movement of the fan creates a suction through the hood and stack and thereby in creases the draft through the chimney, or building and ventilates the same. The casing, 13, on the upper side of the hood also serves as a vane to assist the hood in turning in the direction in which the wind is blowing so that the inlet end of the funnel will be in position to receive the full force of the air currents and to conduct the same to the fan blades.

My improved cowl may be employed on a chimney to increase the draft therethrough or it may be applied to halls, churches or other buildings as a means for ventilating the same.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, the construction and operation of'the inven tion will be readily understood without re' quiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In ventilating cowl, a stack, a series of bearing rollers arranged thereon adjacent to its upper end, a hood having in its lower end a bearing flange adapted to engage said rollers, stop collars secured to the lower end of said hood, a ball race in said stop collar,

bearing balls in said race to provide an antifrictional engagement between said collar and said bearing rollers, a fan casing arranged on the upper side of said hood, antifrictional bearings on the opposite sides of said casing, a draft fan revolubly mounted in said bearing, and a funnel arranged in said casing to direct a current of air onto the blades of said fan whereby the latter is automatically operated to create a draft through said cowl.

2. In a ventilating cowl, a stack, a series of bearing rollers on said stack, a hood revolubly mounted on said rollers, a stop flange on said hood to prevent the same from becoming casually disengaged from said stack, a fan casing on the upper portion of said hood, arevolubly mounted draft fan in said casing, and an air deflecting plate in said casing whereby a current of air is directed on the blades of the fan.

3. In a ventilating cowl, a stack, a series of bearing rollers on said stack, a hood revolubly mounted on said rollers, a stop flange on said hood, a ball race in said stop flange, a series of bearing balls in said race, an annular bearing plate on said balls to engage said rollers, whereby said hood is prevented from becoming casually disengaged from the stack. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

THOMAS E. LEWIS. Witnesses A. D. NEALON, JOHN P. THoMAs. 

